1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to oil film bearings that are used to rotatably support the necks of rolls in a rolling mill.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rolling mill oil film bearings are typically held in place by lock assemblies that are rotated into and out of mechanical interengagement with the roll necks. In the larger size bearings, e.g., those with rolls measuring one and one half meters in diameter and larger, lock rotation requires relatively large clearances between the coacting roll neck and lock assembly surfaces, which in turn gives rise to a tendency of the lock assemblies to tilt, misalign, and bind during mounting and dismounting. This problem is further exacerbated by the weight of the larger lock assemblies, which can exceed 900 kilograms.
The objective of the present invention is to ease the task of rotating the lock assemblies into and out of mechanical interengagement with the roll necks by incorporating strategically placed bearings that encourage proper alignment while avoiding the tendency of the lock assemblies to tilt and bind.